During the regency the regent will take care of most matters of state, using their skills instead of yours, but considerably limiting your powers. During a regency, you cannot plot, and claimants with weak claims on your titles can push them. A character cannot take negative actions against a regent, such as revoking their titles or firing them from the council.

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If no regent is designated beforehand, a regent is selected automatically. It seems to be common for the chancellor, spymaster, or queen mother to be appointed as regent.

With the Charlemagne expansion you can designate a regent, by giving an honorary title with a +20 opinion bonus. The designated regent will become the regent should you need one, but may still be replaced through events. The honorary title of "designated regent" can be revoked, but once they become regent, the minor title of "regent" cannot be revoked.

During a regency, diplomatic actions require your regent's permission. They are more likely to approve kind actions toward characters they like and hostile actions toward characters they dislike. Their traits also affect which actions they will approve: for example, greedy regents are reluctant to approve sending gifts. Whether a regent allows a marriage proposal can depend on whether you use the interaction menu of the groom/bride or the menu of their liege.

With the Conclave DLC, regents instead participate in council votes. During a regency, the council is empowered to vote as if all council laws are in their favor, and the liege cannot overrule the council.

One of the most frustrating things a regent can do is lower your realm's crown authority (or tribal organization). This can happen in two ways:

A faction demands lowered crown authority. During a regency, this demand always succeeds. It is crucial to keep the faction from growing strong so your vassals do not present an ultimatum during a regency.

The regent decides to lower crown authority. This can only happen once to each liege. The regent must be landed and have their primary title within the relevant kingdom or empire. Mean time to happen is 120 months, modified by the following:

Has high martial and stewardship, so your heir can use demesne levies to avoid or win faction wars

Is not a council member (skills don't count twice)

Likes your heir (Regents for incapable or imprisoned rulers should ideally be the heir)

Is not landed in your de jure kingdom/empire, or is content , so they don't attempt to lower crown authority

Is not landed, or is honest , so they don't steal your counties

Is charitable or honest , so they don't embezzle money

Get your regent to like you. Award gifts and honorary titles. Choose a guardian for yourself who has high diplomacy skill: the "personal diplomacy" opinion toward children is evaluated based on a parent or guardian. You want their opinion to at least be positive, so they do not attempt to murder you or have you declared insane. A highly positive opinion is best, because regents have increased plot power and decide what actions you can take.

Avoid having landed regents. Appoint invited courtiers, rather than landed vassals, to the positions of chancellor or spymaster. Landed regents may scheme to lower crown authority or tribal organization, independent of factions and regardless of opinion. If you do have a landed regent who is not content , transfer them under a higher-rank vassal. If you can't do that, give them a higher-rank title that is outside of your de jure territory, so their primary title is not a de jure vassal of your crown law title.

Dismiss a bad regent indirectly. Only a direct vassal or courtier can be a regent. Unmarried courtiers can be removed by marrying them out of your court (for men, using a matrilineal marriage). Regents can also be removed by granting them titles and then either granting independence or transferring vassalage to a higher-ranked vassal.

Consider making your heir be designated regent. They will gain prestige and will be free to designate a new regent upon ascension.